Imperial Consultants

Chosen by the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI), Imperial Consultants will investigate the safe use of hydrogen based fuels for power generation, in collaboration with lead partner the Health and Safety Laboratory, an agency of the Health and Safety Executive.

The project aims to:

• identify the boundaries of safe design and operation of power generation systems using hydrogen based fuels;
• and identify improvements in the detailed design and instrumentation of hydrogen fuelled power systems in order to deliver more robust and inherently safer system designs.

The project will use experimental and modelling methods to investigate the impact of a flameout in a combined cycle gas turbine and combined heat and power system, which may result in an explosive mixture of fuel and air being pumped into a hot exhaust system before the flameout is detected. This in turn could lead to an explosion.

Imperial Consultants Director of Operations Dr Alistair McDermott said: “We welcome the opportunity to be involved in this ETI project that will advance the safe use of hydrogen based fuels.

“Providing expertise in the flammability, ignition and detonation of high-hydrogen fuel compositions, our consultants will assist in developing safer solutions to the design and operation of gas turbines.”

The outcomes of the project could benefit the manufacturers and operators of gas turbines and engines, which may potentially utilise fuels containing either high or variable levels of hydrogen.

Imperial Consultants has extensive expertise in the field of explosive compositions. Our consultants have acted as expert witnesses in high profile court cases, identifying reactive compositions, and provided specialist advice on a number of consultancy projects including the management of risk associated with transporting explosive materials over long distances and through tunnels.

To access this expertise, found in Imperial’s departments of Chemical and Mechanical Engineering, please contact us.